Photography © Aditi Pradhan

 

Agathia Laetata

Smeared green dust, which remarkably are scales – it’s bizarre;
Tattered wings, possibly a bird’s missed opportunity;
Signs of surviving another day in the meadow,
but the night is long and you are only just awaking.
Mimicking the moon light, the bright porch disorients you;
Attracts and offers you respite from September rain perhaps.
Or maybe a resident lizard will crawl out for dinner.
Apologies for luring you into my den of desires,
I will restore darkness and let you off on your quest.
Float in the celestial glow whilst you seek your soulmate;
Drench in sweet floral juices and carry its legacy.
Tomorrow, I will see you again with your smeared dust and tattered wings.

 

I am an insect enthusiast from Goa, India. My writings are inspired by the natural world.
Moths are beautiful and important to our ecosystem, yet they remain largely unseen and even unloved. I too spent a substantial part of my life not loving them. One afternoon the mammoth Atlas moth landed on my porch and I have been a moth’er ever since. Moths are at the bottom of the food chain which means they are fighting for survival more than any other species. Agathia Laetata (Geometridae family) is an ethereal looking gorgeous moth. This short poem is as an ode to the dainty moth who appeared on my porch one night with signs of a bruised warrior.”